1. Causes of the French Revolution

2. France Europe’s most populous nation Center of Enlightenment culture
Considered well governed and stable

3. The Three Estates Each estate had its own legal status and privileges
First Estate
Clergy
Less than 1% of population
Owned 10% of land

4. Second Estate Nobles 2% of population Owned approx. 25% of land
Monopolized government positions and the military

5. Third Estate
Members varied from wealthy merchants to serfs and landless laborers
Bourgeoisie did own about 25% of the land in France
Many resented the privileges of the aristocracy

6. Third Estate
The petty bourgeoisie felt the pinch of both rising prices for goods and stagnant wages
Sans-culottes favored equality and played a major role in the radicalization of the revolution

7. Third Estate Peasants formed the largest social class
Wished to be free of service obligations
Owned about 40% the land

8. Political Causes
The conflict between the resurgent nobility and the monarch was a fundamental political cause
Nobles asserted the powers of the parlements, the 15 regional law courts, the check the king’s ability to tax and legislate arbitrarily

9. Many condemned the capricious nature of the monarchy
The personalities of Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette acted as a magnet for discontent
Louis lacked the energy and purpose to his his nation through crisis

10. Intellectual Causes
The Enlightenment did not directly cause the revolution
It did offer a focal point for discontent and class anger
Ideas from philosophes provided tools for the expression of grievances

11. Economic and Financial Causes
The French state and is social system coped poorly with rapid economic change
The French wealth was unequally distributed
The French state never effectively tapped into the nations wealth

12. France did not develop and extensive credit network
Had an inefficient and regressive tax system
Louis XVI realized the need for tax reform
Attempted several far reaching efforts but was blocked by nobles

13. French Finance Ministers
Turgot – attacked privileges and sparked wide opposition
Necker – revealed government waste, but his plans proved to be too much for some and he was dismissed

14. Caloone – handpicked an Assembly of Notables to approve his new taxes
Caloone – handpicked an Assembly of Notables to approve his new taxes. They refused and his reputation plummeted
Archbishop Brienne – his policies fomented organized opposition to the monarchy and led to the meeting of the Estates General in 1788

15. French situation is desperate:
Stood at the verge of bankruptcy
Poor crops led to high break prices, sending urban crowds into the streets